Figures and Faces

Well July is here. And it will be busy! Saturday we leap into the car with Bo in Virginia and drive to Newark Airport. There we will pick up Marley and Levi (Peter's kids). Not sure how we will be fitting all of us in the Element but we will suffer through it. We will stop in Boston for the night then make our way to Gardiner. There I will be preparing for the next opening- Figures and Faces by Carol Wiley and HanJi Chang. I'm excited about this show because of the interaction between the artists in the month up to the show. I can't wait to see what has come of their collaboration. One thing is for sure- it will be bright and colorful. In my last post I used and image from Carol that was still a work in progress so you will have to come to the show to see how that piece evolved!

The opening on July 15th is going to be great fun for many reasons. There will be 3D glasses, food and beverages and good friends. Oh and it is the day after my birthday so join us while I will be continuing my celebration.

Keep On Keeping On

I am currently sitting in Burke, Virginia working on a press release and postcard for the upcoming show at Monkitree in Gardiner, Maine. I hadn't imagined that I would be back in the DC area but Peter's work required him to be down here... so here we are both working (on a Sunday). Of course this move will help us to complete our building renovations and continue to move forward with the life we began building in Gardiner. I miss Gardiner!

Fortunately I will be up in Gardiner soon for the last day of Kenny Cole's show and to hang and open the next show- Figures and Faces by Carol Wiley and HanJi Chang. The two have worked closely together and I am interested to see how this collaboration has influenced their work. And if you haven't seen the current show Gold, God, Guns and Girls,you should make a point to do so. I have my favorites that have stayed in my head.

Gold, God, Guns and Girls by Kenny Cole through July 9th.
Figures and Faces by Carol Wiley and HanJi Chang- Opening July 15th

Oh boy...

I wish I could say Spring is in the air but sadly there is a Winter Storm Advisory in effect through Friday and we may see another 6-12 inches. That said, there is the optimism that comes with Spring wafting about. I am preparing for our next Opening Reception for a show entitled "Gold, God, Guns and Girls" by Kenny Cole. I enjoy Kenny's use of words and his challenging subject matter. Kenny captures how we are bombarded by information constantly, yet still struggle to find truth in the words. Or as Kenny puts it,
"Sometimes it seems as though, in this age of instant information, the more information that we have at our fingertips, the less we actually know and that the further we advance as a species the more we become steeped in myth."

When I was first introduced to Kenny's work I fell in love with a series he calls "Prison Papers". On found prison forms, Kenny drew weaponry from the worlds arsenal. I was amazed, given the subject matter, I could find humor in his work. With "Gold, God, Guns and Girls," he again takes on serious subjects and makes us consider the power of words. He leaves it up to the viewer to "navigate this body of work to find their place between truth, fiction and the collective unconscious."

I look forward to introducing his work to everyone this Spring.

Valentine's Day

I have never been a big fan of Valentine's Day. I remember as a kid being disappointed with those hearts filled with chocolate. There were only ever a couple pieces that I actually liked. My sisters and I started poking our fingers through the bottom to see if we would like it before taking a bite. Eventually, we told my father that we didn't care for them and he started filling a shoebox with chocolate we actually liked. That was an amazing thing. It is always best to get someone what they like rather than what is expected. Which is why I haven't filled Monkitree with heart shaped things, red things, and silly jewelry. Just the same gorgeous artwork, jewelry and craft.

I also have a sense of humour about this holiday which probably comes from many a Valentine's Day as a single woman. My friend Liz and I would get each other things like- Grow a Boyfriend. So while I have some sweet Valentine cards, I also have many funny ones. Sometimes it is easier to say "I Love You" with a card that says "I'm Achin' For Your Bacon". Just sayin'.

What's in Store for 2011?

Having just returned after a ten day vacation, I am just beginning to evaluate this past year and look ahead. I haven't gotten very far on either. This year we need to make some strides on our building renovation. We have decided to turn our second floor space into an apartment that we can rent out which involves adding a small kitchen and a shower. Once we get started, I think this project will move forward quickly. It will be great to have the additional income and certainly would help us move forward on renovations to our living space. I'm sure once we put new appliances in the 2nd floor apartment I am going to want an upgrade from the harvest gold we are currently living with.

A Joyous Holiday Season to All!

Well here we are, a few days until Christmas and about ten to the New Year. At Monkitree we have recently marked our seventh month in business. We have come a long way in seven months and have big plans for the coming year- great shows, new products, an updated website. I want to thank everyone who has been a part of our growth- the artists and craftspeople who allow us to represent them, our neighboring businesses, our families who have supported us in countless ways, and of course our customers. It has been a great year but like many of you, I am hoping 2011 brings with it a new confidence and prosperity.

For those of you with shopping still left to do, Monkitree will be open 10am-6pm through Christmas Eve. We have great jewelry, pottery, cutting boards, textiles and fine art in every price range. Hope to see you before Christmas but if not Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Let's make it a good one.

Who is Ready for Christmas?

Monkitree is well stocked with all sorts of fun gift items and great art. I love this time of year. There are the confident gift givers who know exactly what each person on their list will want. But there are also those who aren't confident in their gift giving and know they will need help. Some people are reluctant to ask for help, as if not knowing what their new daughter in-law would like is somehow a failing. I like helping these people. I start with simple questions like, "What color is her hair?" They know the answer to that one and they feel good! Then I start with options, "Would you describe her as contemporary or more traditional?" This is also good. Black and white. They can pick one. Again they feel good. And at the same time I am getting valuable information and am eliminating whole categories. Then we can get into suggesting items. Any hesitation and I move on, the key is finding a great gift not settling on something they are unsure about. Once we have found a great gift, we can move onto the co-worker or great-aunt or a more significant gift because once a reluctant shopper finds someone they can work with why go anywhere else?